The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring sperm motility.
Sperm motility, i.e., the spontaneous movement of sperm cells, is considered to be one of the most important criteria influencing the fertility of sperm cells. The determination of sperm motility is commercially important for evaluating the suitability of a specimen for artificial insemination of animals, for example.
A large number of techniques have been devised for measuring sperm motility. One known technique is based on the continuous photographic examination of the movement of individual sperm cells; another known technique is based on examining the specimen at several disrete time intervals, i.e., by multiple photographic exposures; and a further technique is based on the detection of light scattered from the specimen by the use of a laser, the scattered light being spread, according to the Doppler Effect, into frequencies giving a spectrum which depends on the sperm movement. Generally speaking, however, these known techniques produce inaccurate results, or introduce substantial delays before the results are available, or require expensive and complicated equipment or procedures.
An object of this invention is to provide a new method and apparatus for measuring the motility of sperm cells.